Disgraced Wisconsin judge avoids jail time for helping illegal migrant evade ICE
In a high-profile case, former Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan has been found guilty of felony obstruction for assisting Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented migrant from Mexico, in evading capture by ICE agents. Although federal prosecutors requested a jail term of 15 to 21 months, Dugan was instead handed a $5,000 fine with no requirement to serve time behind bars. Her legal team anticipates challenging the conviction through an appeal process.
In another significant legal development, Republican Congressman Greg Steube of Florida has initiated impeachment proceedings against Judge John E. Steele. This action was reported by news outlets and has gained considerable attention.
The impeachment filing, identified as House Resolution 1431, charges Senior U.S. District Judge John E. Steele with “high crimes and misdemeanors.” The allegations stem from his decision to order the release of Miakel Guerra Morales, a convicted Cuban plane hijacker, from ICE custody.
Following the controversial ruling on July 8, Morales, an undocumented immigrant from Cuba, was allowed to depart from ICE custody, sparking significant public and political discourse.
Displayed is a courtroom gavel, accompanied by an inset image of Maikel Guerra Morales. (iStock; DHS)
“This is exactly the kind of activist judicial overreach the American people are sick of. Judge Steele had every legal justification to keep a convicted plane hijacker off our streets, and he chose to let him go instead,” Congressman Steube said.
Florida State Sen. Greg Steube sponsored the bill in the Florida Senate. “If you look at the history of why we as a country do (daylight saving), it doesn’t make any sense in today’s world.” ( )
In 2003, Morales and several others assaulted a flight crew and hijacked a Cuban commuter airplane that he boarded in Nueva Gerona, DHS says.
Morales forced the pilot to fly more than 100 miles north to Monroe County, Florida, where it eventually landed at Key West International Airport.
The U.S. Marshals Service arrested him and charged him with aircraft piracy and conspiracy to interfere with a flight crew when the flight arrived.
He was convicted and sentenced to 22 years behind bars.
People walk on the street during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Monday, July 6, 2026. (Ramon Espinosa)
Despite the conviction, Judge Steele, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, ordered Morales’ release last week, citing a Supreme Court ruling governing the detention of foreign nationals whose removal cannot be carried out.
“The Government cannot lock individuals in a cell indefinitely as a workaround for a stalled deportation process,” the order said.